Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
Never before has Port paid homage to one of the most important, beloved and collectible domains in the annals of sport: The Negro Leagues. And if there is a single ballplayer who most defines the heart and soul of black baseball, whose very image symbolizes the rich Negro League legacy, it is Port's fitting debut subject: the one-and-only Satchel Paige.
Measuring more than 2 feet across and 3 feet tall, this monumental painting is based on the iconic photo used for the U.S. Post Office's 33-cent commemorative stamp; Larry Tye's 2009 biography Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend; and websites such as Wikipedia, BlackBaseball.com, and the Center for Negro League Baseball Research. There is no mistaking Satch's rangy build, his sculpted, thinly mustachioed countenance, and his classic K.C. Monarchs threads. Port has successfully recreated every last fine detail, beginning with the crystal-clear focus of the foreground and the soft blur of the distant grandstand. Paige's painstakingly depicted flannel jersey appears as if it might be soft to the touch, while his leather glove gives the impression of a suppleness that would make vintage mitt collectors swoon. Port's methodical accuracy even remains true to Paige's scrawled block-print inscription of his own name on the fastening strap, which Adam then thoughtfully paired with a name caption, "PAIGE, Kansas City," on the baseball-card-like border. Elegantly matted and framed to measure 39" x 50".
Bio: Heir-apparent to the great modern masters of photo-realist portraiture, Adam Port reigns as one of the nation's premier sports and entertainment artists, with a clientele that has included influential entities like the NBA, Basketball Hall of Fame and Elvis Presley Enterprises, along with A-list stars like Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony and Ray Lewis. A graduate of Syracuse University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, Port has perfected his trademark technique of using acrylic paint and colored pencil on illustration board to create breathtakingly life-like portraits.